Ruby Princess
Ruby Princess Overview
Tonnage: 113,000
Length: 965 ft
Passengers: 3,080
Registry: Bermuda
One of the newer Princess mega-ships with all of the best amenities and features of Princess
Best For People Who WantA roomy ship with ample choices for alternative dining, wide-ranging fitness programs; true onboard weddings as well as vow renewal; programs for children of all ages, tweens and teens; balcony cabins and mini-suites; plenty of nightlife choices, extensive golf and snorkeling programs.
Should Be Avoided By People Who PreferSmall-ship cruising, extensive room service menu options, enrichment lectures, all-inclusive ships
Onboard ExperienceRuby Princess entered service in November, 2008 a true sister to the Crown Princess and Emerald Princess, and a near sister ship to the 2,600-passenger Grand Princess presented in 1998, once the biggest cruise ship at sea, though that didn't last for long. Ruby Princess comes in at a heftier 113,00-tons and carries about 410 more passengers at a capacity of 3080. Therefore, as opposed to the eerily empty feeling you can get aboard the spacious 2600-passenger Grand-class vessels, on these ships you get more of a feel of "abuzz with activity", akin to the 110,000-ton Conquest-class ships of Carnival that can hold as many as 3400 passengers.
However, thanks to shrewd layout, multiple and smaller dining venues, four expansive outdoor deck areas (1.7 acres!), multiple sports facilities, four pools, and nine hot tubs, passengers are rarely concentrated in any one area. Meanwhile, the mega-ship amenities included for those who can never get enough dining, entertainment, spa and fitness choices, means the Princess ships of this class make the best of everything for ships in this size and price range. Their programs for younger passengers are exemplary, and their Lido buffet dining spot is open around the clock.
One new feature which is a first for Princess with the Ruby, Emerald and Crown Princess is the Sanctuary, an adults-only spa-like space on the upper-most forward deck featuring quiet music and surroundings of lush greenery referred to by Princess as a "pocket of tranquility". There are outdoor cabanas where one can receive full massage services from the onboard Lotus Spa, or there are casual neck and shoulder massages available. The space also offers signature beverages and light meals such as smoothies, energy drinks, flavored waters and lemonade. A menu features fruit skewers, lettuce wrapped spring rolls, and spicy tuna.
An adjunct to the Sanctuary is the Thermal Suite, an area within the spa offering steam saunas infused with aromatherapy essential oils such as eucalyptus or lavender, a dry sauna, rainmist showers and heated ceramic "zero-gravity" beds to rest upon after your steam.
Another new feature is a spiced-up atrium known as The Piazza, featuring the a 24-hour International Café with sandwiches, tapas and special coffees available for very reasonable prices; and Vines, a wine bar where one can get expert advice from the on duty sommelier and sample a variety of fine wines by the glass. On the Piazza stage, various entertainers will appear seemingly out of nowhere to amuse and entertain you; jugglers, close-up magicians, tumblers and an assortment of costumed oddities.
Ruby Princess also offers "Movies Under the Stars," a huge (300 sq. ft) flat panel rear-projection video screen and 6900 watts of sound power to show up to four different near first-run films daily outdoors above the pool. This was such a hit on Caribbean Princess that the concept was added to all the large Princess ships. On some ships they hand out headphones to viewers to alleviate complaints from nearby cabins.
Having offered the first wedding chapel at sea (with the Captain doing the honors) on Grand Princess, Ruby Princess also offers true marriages at sea, as well as vow renewals. A complete professional digital photography studio in the F/X Digital Photo Center is perfect for those all-important wedding photos. The medical center is one of the most advanced at sea, the first to offer real-time teleconferencing support from a leading national cardiac care center in the United States.
The most incongruous, and arguably pleasing, factor about these mega-ships is that the public rooms aren't much bigger than those on much smaller ships giving it the feel of a much smaller ship than it really is. The one oddity of the "Grand-class" design is the compromised privacy of most balconies that extend out from the ship in a pyramid-like stacking arrangement which allows people from several decks above can look right down into your "private" enclave. From the Deck 11, for instance, you can watch other passengers on deck nine and ten balconies. Deck 10 occupants can in turn observe their counterparts on the Deck nine.
DecorUnlike the theme park atmosphere of some other cruise lines, the décor on Princess ships extends an understatedly elegant and refined atmosphere, with hand-painted murals and etched glass partitions in the dining rooms. Little apparent expense was spared on materials, with rich fabrics, beautiful woods, and marble everywhere, all topped off with a $2 million art collection aboard each ship. The cabins are tastefully decorated in soft, inoffensive shades -- beiges, creams and muted pinks.
We prefer Ruby to her sister ship, Emerald Princess, even though the interior design is functionally identical except for one aspect. On Emerald the main theme color is green and in several shades. On Ruby it is red, with soft rose fabrics and deep burgundy accents. Red is a much better theme color to work with than green, as we have noticed on several ships.
Public RoomsThe main gathering spot, the three deck tall, open Piazza, has boutiques, the 24-hour International Café, the Internet access room, the Vines wine-tasting room and and passenger services, all connected by circular glass staircases and glass elevators. It's the best people-watching place on the ship, especially when there's a string quartet playing a piece you adore, but watch out for the street performers who will sneak up on you and make you a captive audience of two. Among the nearby public rooms are the casino, entrances to the two open-seating dining rooms, and the shore excursions desk.
We favor the maritime-themed Wheelhouse Bar, full of memorabilia and paintings, not to mention comfortable leather wingback chairs, a small dance floor, and a piano singalong motif that will make you want to use it. The safari-themed Explorer's Club offers cabaret, trivia competitions, art auctions, and between-meals dancing. The gigantic Casino contains some 285 slot machines and gaming tables beyond counting. You can relax in the Cigar Lounge, or recline in leather chairs while perusing any of hundreds of books in the beautiful library.
The main showroom, the Princess Theater, presents production shows, cabaret, comedians and magicians. With seating for 1600 we found it unusually cramped with airplane-like seats jammed together and not enough footspace to allow for fast escapes during a brief production show set changes. Once you're in there, your stuck for the entire show unless you sit on the aisle. The upside is that everyone has a great view of the stage.
The Club Fusion Showlounge offers live dance combos for various kinds of music, Latin or Rhythm & Blues. Karaoke contests and theme-parties such as a "'60s British Invasion" also happen nightly. Later on, it doubles for a secondary disco for those who get light-headed scaling the heights to Skywalkers, the real disco on high at the stern of the ship. Unlike the smaller Grand-class vessels, however, Skywalkers is no longer suspended high in the air. It lies on Sky Deck and now has a large balcony included for smokers and those who favor the wind-blown look.
CuisineWhat can you say about a ship that offers three main dining rooms instead of the usual multi-tiered, bigger than life one? They are more intimate and definitely quieter, but the decor is not likely to elicit a "wow" response either. There are three dining rooms, two dedicated to "personal choice" dining which means open seating and country-club casual dress nightly from 5:30 to 11:00 p.m. For the more traditional minded, the third dining room, deck six aft, offers the standard cruise line seating, early at 6:30 and late seating at 8:15 (subject to change). Diners are assigned tables and tablemates, and are serviced at the same time and by the same waiters every night.
Unlike many cruise lines, Princess does not have an executive chef designing the recipes for the entire fleet. Each ship has its own executive chef who is responsible for the menu creation. This means cuisine is more tailored the region the ship is cruising, a nice touch. It also gives the chef the ability to change food selection according to passenger response. In talking to the executive chef on board, we were told that the best food is served in the open seating restaurants (though the menus are identical in all three main dining rooms) because of the ability to cook food as it is ordered, rather than according to a pre-determined time schedule. Our food always arrived hot and perfectly prepared.
The ship offers two alternative dining spots carrying cover charges. First is Sabatini's Trattoria where guests are required to try a little bit of everything on the menu, the only choice being your main course. The second premium dining option is Crown Grill, featuring chops and seafood, and the one we preferred.
RestaurantsThe three principal restaurants, the Michelango, Da Vinci and Boticelli Dining Rooms, seating just over 500 passengers, feature hand-painted murals and etched-glass partitions. The drapes and carpeting in the main dining areas absorb sound efficiently enough to preclude diners having to holler across the table to one another.
Personal Choice Dining offers either traditional cruise dining (In the Boticelli), with a set seating time (6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.) and the same waiter and tablemates each evening, or new restaurant-style seating, allowing passengers to dine when and with whom they choose, with each party seated at its own table, as at a restaurant ashore (offered in the other two dining rooms). Restaurant-style diners may be seated in either of the two elegant main dining rooms any time between 5:30 and midnight. Many passengers are understandably grateful for this reprieve from having to hurry to dress for dinner in the traditional way after a long day ashore.
Sabatini's Italian Tratorria dining begins with focaccia bread and olive oil. next comes a wonderful selection of Italian antipasti, complemented with Sevruga caviar, delicious seafood salads, homemade pastas, and soups. Salads are tossed before your very eyes, and soup ladled into fresh bread bowls. Seafood predominates on the list of main courses; there are lobster, langoustines, tiger prawns, Chilean sea bass and scallops, with red meat dishes also on offer. Save room for the exquisite Italian pastries that will be wheeled before you toward meal's end. The service charge is $20 per person.
The Crown Grill, featuring Angus beef and seafood specialties all custom-prepared in an open, theater-style kitchen, is the restaurant most preferred. The courses are served traditionally; salad, appetizer, soup, main course and dessert. The difference is in the quality and careful preparation. Using our meal as a sample, the carpaccio of pine nut-coated lamb loins with gooseberry chutney was the most unusual and delicious carpaccio I have ever tasted. Soups and salads include rockfish chowder or marinated goat's cheese. Main courses include a four-ounce Maine lobster tail, or for an additional $9.99 you can have an entire 24 to 32-ounce lobster, split and either grilled or steamed (your choice). Other main courses (no extra charge) are steaks of every traditional cut, lamb rack, pork, veal or beef chops; and seafoods including mussel pot, striped bass and tiger prawns or Australian barramundi. The recommended dessert choice is the chef's sampler which includes a small portion of every dessert offered. Service charge is $25 per person.
The Horizon Court is open 24 hours per day, with menu service at night, plus casual breakfast and luncheon buffet. There's also a festive pizzeria. For $100 per couple, you can book the Ultimate Balcony Dinner, to be served by a butler who discreetly makes himself scarce behind drapes or out in the hall between courses. The ship's photographer snaps a complimentary photo while you're eating.
At night, the Horizon Court restaurant is transformed into Cafe Caribe, offering a self-service buffet of tasty hot food in a very casual setting. Once seated there is full waiter service at fully set tables for drinks or anything else you may need. The courses change nightly, and it stays open until 4:00 a.m. (when breakfast begins). There is no service charge.
Room service on Princess ships is probably among the most limited you will find in this price range. They will not serve you a hot breakfast unless you opt for the $25 per person champagne balcony indulgence. They will bring you hot coffee, juice, rolls, cereal and yogurt. Lunch and dinner include the usual club sandwich, hamburgers and apple pie. There is no option to choose from the dining room menu, even during regular dinner hours. If you want a hot, fresh pizza they are delicious and enough for two people, but there is a $3 delivery charge.
The International Café in the Piazza offers a number of tidbits for just $1 apiece, including shrimp salads, tapas style hors d; oeuvres, and the best "service charge" items on the ship, the six scoops (choice of three different flavors) of real Italian gelato for a mere $1.50. You won't mind paying since the portion is more than enough for two people and includes toppings.
ServiceWhile Princess has a well-deserved reputation for good service securely footed in its British roots, truly personalized service may be too much to expect on a ship this size. That noted, cabin stewards and waiters are both efficient and personable. And rote processes that should be standardized and well executed on other ships but often fail miserably, such as efficient disembarkation, are generally practiced and polished to the point of excellence here.
TippingA charge of $10 per person per day (including children) is automatically added to your stateroom account for dining and stateroom personnel. This applies to all passengers, adult and child alike, whether or not they choose traditional or personal choice dining. The amount may be increased or lowered at the Purser's Reception desk during the cruise.
A 15 percent gratuity is automatically added to all beverage tabs. Gratuities for spa, casino and other staff are at your discretion. Every room service delivery must be signed for, and next to the signature line is the opportunity to add a gratuity - hint, hint.
EntertainmentWith a dozen or so venues for nightlife, you're virtually assured of finding something that floats your boat, to coin a phrase. There's no faulting the lavishness of the production shows, which feature extravagant special effects. The performers in the cabaret are a talented bunch. As stated, the theater itself is rather cramped and not easy to escape unnoticed.
The Internet room on these Grand-class ships do not qualify as "cafés" as there are no café-style treats available. Another drawback is the limited number of wi-fi wireless enabled areas on the ship, pretty much limited to the piazza area. It is too bad to see a modern ship without Internet access in the cabins. The connection speed was spotty, but usually fast enough to be workable. Tech support was almost invisible, but fellow passengers are knowledgeable enough these days to help in almost any situation.
The casino has all of the standard slot machines, including nickel and even penny machines - a great way to waste away your day with little risk to your pocket book. There is craps, roulette, blackjack (also face-up blackjack), and other table games. The most noticeable new attraction is a video screen driven Texas Hold'em table where up to eight players compete against each other, but the antes and raises are limited to $3 to $6 per round. This can add up when all the players are involved, but it keeps the pots reasonable enough in size that it's unlikely anyone is going to pull out a six-shooter to snatch the pot and ride out of town.
Cabinsare built out from the body of the ship so as to permit bigger staterooms. 710 of the 1300 staterooms have balconies, ranging up to 257 sq. feet, but the balconies are not very private, as they're in plain view of the occupants of the cabin on the next deck up. Standard inside staterooms are 160 sq. ft., while outside cabins range from 168 to 210 sq. feet. Mini-suites with private verandas are 325 sq. feet. Vista Suites, called mini-suites on other Princess ships, range from 515 to 800 sq. feet. Sun and Dawn Princess offer larger minisuites for less money.
Closet space is minimal except in the suites; leave some things home! There are launderettes available on nearly every passenger deck, with coin-operated washers & dryers, ironing boards and soap and softener for sale in vending machines.
All staterooms have color TV with CNN and movies, a radio and small refrigerator, suites have spacious bathrooms with storage space and hair dryers, but any cabin of balcony category or less has a tiny bathroom with "huggy" shower curtains and barely enough rack space for towels for two.
Fitness/SpaIt is rare to find such ample fitness facilities, especially when you add in the Sanctuary and the thermal suite which serve as extensions to the existing spa and offer many of the same services and more. The thermal suite is offered for $10 per day, or at a reduced price for the entire cruise, reduced even further for pre-paying couples. Costs will be pro-rated if you decide to join mid-cruise.
The four pools, including a "swim-against-the-current" lap pool, are uniformly gorgeous, thanks in no small part to colorful mosaics and surrounding palm trees. Low marks, though, to whoever decided to put the separate jogging track right above the spa, as the relentless thundering of hooves overhead isn't terribly conducive to one's enjoying her massage or beauty treatment. Even though prices are substantially higher than ashore, spa services are very popular, especially in the afternoon. You'll occasionally have to stand in line for some of the more popular workout apparatuses in the gym. There's a wrap-around promenade deck for long walks, a golf simulator and 9-hole putting green, and courts for basketball, volleyball or tennis.
AttireSeven- to 14-night cruises offer two opportunities to put on the Ritz in formal attire. Many men opt for dark suit instead of tux, while their distaff companions often prefer dressy pants to gowns. The rest of the time, think smart casual. Formal attire is only required in the traditional dining rooms, though most people opt to dress up no matter where they are headed that night.
User Reviews
by Princess
10 Reviews
Publication Date: April 10, 2011
Princess Cruises Ruby Princess by Marcia Eastern Caribbean April 10, 2011
Food NOT fit for a Princess
Over all summary: Food was poor. Room steward was fabulous. Princess shore excursions were OK but costly. Onboard activities were varied and available. Both embarkation and disembarkation were a breeze in Fort Lauderdale. However, if you put aside the food [why would you? you are on a cruise for goodness sake!], the shows were good, there was a good selection of current movies, there were plenty of activities onboard and all the usual cruise ship things [photographers, pools, casino (even had a non-smoking night), exercise room, etc.] I looked forward to 2 things: great food and spending a few hours in the Sanctuary enjoying peace and quiet, but they had the nerve to charge $10 for each half day [0800 - 1230 or 1300 - 1700] and it was closed for 30 minutes at noon. I guess you have to go somewhere else for that 30 min. They do not charge for the pool so why charge for peace and quiet.
As an experienced traveler, cruiser and great cook, I was extremely unhappy with the food
throughout the ship, the Ruby Princess. Our first night we chose from the nightly menu and had good prime rib. That was the last good meal in the dining room or buffet. On 3 of the 7 nights we chose to eat in the buffet because nothing on the menu in the dining room sounded good. What a shame! On the last night I had beef tenderloin medallions cooked rare in the dining room. I have no idea what cut of meat it was; neither texture nor flavor were what I expected. Being a nightowl, I tried their buffet served from 2300 to 0400 one night. I was astonished that they had the audacity to serve left-overs from lunch and dinner. {Note: the 24 hour buffet is only 22 hours.} I love ice cream and the only way to get it was as dessert in the dining room. It was a good quality, but not available any other place or time. They only had soft serve in the ice cream shop or gelato for $1.50 a scoop in the pastry shop. A coke was $2 whenever you wanted one with a meal or at other times unless you paid $40 [$6 a day] for an insulated coke tumbler that you could have refilled all week with coke, diet coke, club soda or water. If you wanted to spend $56 [the kids cup, $8 a day] you could also get fruit juice, smoothies and milkshakes. You could get pineapple juice for breakfast by asking/begging for it but not at any other time without a kids cup. The extra "nickel and dime" for everything is terrible. Why don't they charge an extra $25.00 in the fare include the items and let the crew focus on doing their jobs rather than selling.As for the stateroom: The best part of the cruise was our cabin steward. He was fabulous. When that is the best you can say about a cruise, it is a sad thing indeed. We had a balcony on the port side, forward, Riviera deck, R210. It was the first time we had a balcony and enjoyed it a lot. Also the port side of the ship had the better view at all ports. Since we have a nice RV the shower did not seem tiny. The shower, toilet, vanity area was adequate. Plenty of hanging space, about 6.5 feet, for a 7 day cruise; had a shelf above; a 12x14" cupboard with the safe with about 7 shelves. Each night stand had 2 drawers and a shelf. There was room for luggage under the bed. The desk had a cupboard with 2 shelves, mirror, phone, hairdryer and desk chair. There was a small refrigerator in another cupboard with a top that doubled as a bar and a flat panel TV on the wall above it. There was a club chair with arms and a small oval table for drinks or treats. The deck had 2 chairs and a small table.
In St Thomas do not bother with the B.O.S.S. underwater scooter trip. I thought it would be unique and it was, but it was not worth the time and money. The boat owner and his crew were exceptional and accommodating, but the scooter is difficult to maneuver and your view is restricted. The place they take you , Turtle Cove, is terribly overused and overpopulated with snorkelers so there is very little to see. The water is about 15 feet deep and your head is about 8 feet below the surface. I saw more while snorkeling while waiting for my turn than while on the scooter. I am a certified diver and should have gone SCUBA diving. I never have trouble clearing my ears while diving, but on this scooter I was clearing them the entire time. Later I found out that it is because your ears are under air pressure being inside the bubble helmet and your breathing is constantly changing the pressure rather than in the open water where once you get them cleared you are finished because you have equalized then to the water pressure.
We booked a tour with AAA for a tour of the island on St Maarten and were very happy with the driver and the tour. He made a point of telling us that he was our driver for the day and would take us anywhere we wanted as long as we were back by 1600. There were 8 of us in the van at about $50 a head. Next time we will hire a taxi when we get ashore as many other reviewers have suggested.
Do NOT go to the shops recommended by the cruise, not even for the 'free' trinkets they offer. They are not worth the time or trouble. Some shops gave them freely, but others made it difficult to get the freebie. AND different people got different treatment even in our small group of 4. We each went at different times and got different hassles. Furthermore, the cruise line is getting a kick back from the stores so you are not getting the best price. Do some research before you go to find some stores to patronize. Also be sure you know the price of gold and the price of whatever jewelry you think you might consider [diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, etc.] before you go. In one shop I had on my new diamond and ruby ring and I asked him how much it would cost there. He said $2500; I paid $2600 for it in Vegas so I would not have been worth the cost of the cruise to save $100.
On Princess Cays, check out the Bahamian shops behind the Princess store. They will appreciate your business.
I completed their post cruise survey and they called me to acknowledge my responses. They did not offer any kind of compensation or inducement to return for another cruise. I have a 3 page letter that I will send by email and snail mail and they gave me the addresses. I also wrote a one page letter of commendation for our steward. I gave him a copy before disembarking and will send copies of it to the addresses also. They printed it from my thumb drive at the customer service desk. Strangely, she blew on the USB connector before she inserted it into their computer.
It is not likely that I will travel with Princess again. This was a last minute, spur of the moment trip. I'll think harder and read some reviews before I spend this kind of money again.
by Princess
10 Reviews
Publication Date: November 21, 2010
Princess Cruises Ruby Princess by Bud Lockwood Eastern Caribbean November 21, 2010
My wife and I sailed on the Ruby Princess Thanksgiving week (November 21st to 28th ) from Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to the Eastern Caribbean ports of Princess Cays, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Grand Turk.
OUR ARRANGEMENTS We booked cabin D219, a mini-suite on the Dolphin deck, and selected "anytime dining" for our dinner dining option. The cabin was nicely appointed, comfortable and conveniently located on deck 6. It should be noted that the balcony is totally exposed overhead unlike the balconies on higher decks. This leaves you exposed to the elements and to people on balconies just above.
Any time dining worked well for us. We tend to dine early and the Michelangelo dining room opened at 5:30 PM for anytime dining. Reservations for dining are advised for formal nights and sea days if you plan to dine at 7 PM or later. We had no significant wait earlier.
EMBARKATION & DISEMBARKATION
We drove from the Melbourne area (near Port Canaveral), therefore we entered the Port Everglades via auto and parked in the garage adjacent to the embarkation terminal 2.
There was minor congestion getting into the port at noon. Parking was easy and the walk from the vehicle to the terminal was short.The embarkation process was smooth. Princess checks passengers in by deck with a special line for preferred customers. Just hope that everyone on your deck doesn't show up at the same time. After check in photos are taken and you are free to go to your cabin. Interestingly, Princess did allow us to go to our cabin before 1:00 PM which allowed us to leave our carry-on bags and freshen up before lunch.
Disembarkation was a mess! The ship returned to terminal 29, a shuttle ride from the parking garage at terminal 2. This may be caused by the fact that the Emerald Princess shares terminals and takes 10 day cruises.
The instructions for disembarkation preferences were unclear to us so we ended up being scheduled to disembark at 9:30 AM when we would have preferred, and could have had, an earlier time. We finally disembarked at 10:30 AM because the regular ramp wasn't working. Not good! We collected our bags from the baggage area and checked through Customs with no unusual problems. We then lined up for the shuttle, along with a lot of other passengers. Our bags were loaded on the shuttle along with those of 15 to 20 other people and we were taken to terminal 2 where the reverse baggage process took place. It was not a pretty process. Leaving the port was easier than arriving.
THE SHIP & STAFF
The Ruby Princess is a beautiful ship with elegantly appointed public areas including the restaurants, lounges, casino, theater and pools. There were no unexpected crowds at any of the venues. Unexpected means there were crowds at the normal times. For examples, the theater and lounges were crowded during after dinner times. The atrium also attracted large crowds because of the entertainment.
The staff were excellent. Everyone we encountered was cheerful and helpful, even during high stress times. They were obviously well trained and seemed to enjoy their work.
DINING AND FOOD
Like most modern cruise ships the Ruby Princess offered several dining options with the main dining rooms being the centerpieces, followed closely by the specialty dining options. The food was very good with a couple of exceptions. Highlights included: Sabatini's. The Italian themed restaurant is excellent! Plan a before dinner cocktail at the adjacent, elegant Adagio lounge then enjoy their multi-course dinner complete with samples of all the pre and post-entrée choices. The entrees were very good. Crown Grill. The "steakhouse" is an elegant setting with excellent service and food. It is adjacent to the Explorer's lounge. If you like lobster, steak or chops this is an ideal place! Reservations are needed and can be a problem so make them on embarkation day. Pub Lunch. A pub lunch was served in the Wheelhouse Bar on sea days. The Wheelhouse bar is a nice pub setting. The food included fish and chips and ploughman's lunch along with a selection of English beers. International Café. The café is a nice setting for people watching as well as tasty snacks. We stopped by almost every day to sample the good food. Michelangelo restaurant. Our choice for "anytime dining" with a nice selection of food. The traditional Thanksgiving dinner was disappointing . Must have been someone else's traditional dinner. The salmon, one of the daily alternative choices, was excellent. The daily alternative choices are frequently some of the best choices and often overlooked.
WORTH NOTING Grand Turk. This is a recently developed port complex and promises to be a very good one as it grows. It is anchored by Ron Jon's Surf Shop and a Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville with several other shops right at the end of the relatively short pier. There are also beaches at the end of the pier. The facilities are similar to those at the end of the pier at St. Maarten, but more extensive. Safety Drill. The Ruby Princess still requires taking life jackets to the safety drill. Many other ships no longer require that, reasoning that dragging the jackets with their straps is dangerous. Gratuity Envelopes. Gratuities are "automatically" charged to the shipboard accounts and no envelopes are provided. You can obtain envelopes if you desire to give additional gratuities. Satisfaction Surveys. They are emailed to your home after the cruise. Special recognition cards are provided should you want to recognize and individual. We did that for our room steward who was "old school" excellent. Electronic Casino Accounts. This is a good and growing trend on cruise ships. Casino Hours. The slot machine hours were extended beyond those published on a couple of days so if you enjoy the slot machines checking the unannounced availability is a good idea. Formal Nights. They were on Tuesday and Thursday. These are good to know if you are planning specialty restaurant or other events. Evening Buffet. The buffet was extremely busy on port evenings! The ship's planners could have done a much better job accommodating the crowds for these days.SUMMARY
The Ruby Princess was very good overall. Every venue and all the staff were excellent. The disembarkation process, highlighted by the shuttling to another terminal and a malfunctioning gangway, was a significant negative.
by Princess
10 Reviews
Publication Date: December 20, 2009
Princess Cruises Ruby Princess by Bob O. Eastern Caribbean December 20, 2009
Avid cruisers with multiple cruiselines, and our third time with Princess, two on the Coral and our first on Ruby. We cruise to relax and so we did. Cabin steward, dining room staff right up there with the best. As a nmatter of fact our Head Waiter Thomas, Waiters Claudio and Bamba always went above and beyond to make our cruise that much more enjoyable. We've visited these particular port numerous times in the past and as i stated earlier we cruise to relax. Fourteenth Deck Balcony cabin (R747)as good as any, and real convenient to the aft deck pool and the Lido.